Life Must Continue
by StarsdeDallas
Summary: This is about the lives of all the surviving characters from the 2nd rebellion. Starting when Katniss returns to her home in Victor's Village, everyone who has seen the horrors of the tyrannical Capitol must cope and move on with the daily motions of life.
1. Chapter 1: What Now?

It's over. The Capitol has fallen. We won but I don't feel like a victor. The visions of the events of the previous two years of my life haunt my dreams as I sleep at night. The countless people I love that died for me drain my emotional energy and keep my nights sleepless. My father, Primrose, Rue, Cinna, Finnick, the list goes on. My sister Prim, died so young and was one of the last casualties of the war on the Capitol. I weep for my little duck.

My name is Katniss Everdeen, I am no longer the Mockingjay. the rebels defeated the Capitol. President Alma Coin murdered my sister so I assassinated her. The man responsible for all of my pain is dead, I wish I was dead with him. I have nothing to live for.

After I returned to my home in the Victor's Village, I remained in solitary confinement thinking about everyone that has left me. I have remained in the same clothes since I left the capitol and only would stir my body whenever I get up to use the small bathroom. For months I am only susceptible to my thoughts and Greasy Sae and her granddaughter, who come over twice a day to cook and clean for me. Even then those two become a crowd to me. The only person that I want right now is Peeta Mellark. Peeta is mentally not here and I don't think he will ever be the same again.

After the war, Peeta was kept in the Captiol by Dr. Aurelius. Peeta was hijacked by tracker-jacker venom by President Snow in an effort to infiltrate District Thirteen and assassinate me. Peeta's mission from the day we were reaped for our first Hunger Games was to keep me alive. Between now and then, Peeta has saved my life countless times. Most recently after I assassinated President Alma Coin, when I reached for my suicide pill in my Mockingjay outfit, Peeta covered the pouch as I bit into the back of his hand. Peeta deserves more than me.

After a while I decide that months by myself is enough. I need someone to confide with. I go to the only person that can even understand what I've been through because he's been living the same nightmare for twenty-five years, Haymitch Abernathy. Haymitch Abernathy was the victor of the fiftieth Hunger Games and Second Quarter Quell. That year hosted double the amount of tributes.

"As a reminder to the districts that for every capitol citizen that was killed, two rebels died in their place, therefore there will be double the amount of tributes for this year's Quarter Quell."

Haymitch became allies with Maysilee Donner until muttations ripped her throat out. Haymitch killed the last remaining tribute, the female from District One, when she threw her axe at him and it hit the arena's force field when he dodged it and then lodged itself into the side of her head, killing her instantly. Haymitch almost died before hovercrafts could reach him to give medical treatment, as he was holding his intestines in. The stunt with the force field embarrassed the game-makers and the Capitol. The head game-maker was certainly executed and President Snow had Haymitch's entire family and girlfriend murdered. After the games he confided into alcohol and became the heaviest drinker.

I leave my house for the short, almost non-existant, walk to Haymitch's house. We both live in Victor's Village which would become the homes of the victors when the win the Hunger Games. I glance over to Peeta's house, untouched since before the Seventy-Fifth Hunger Games, in a deserted ghost house state. The temperature outside suggests far late winter and early spring. It's a cloudy day and the winds are moderate. Even with the clouds the radiation from the sun is almost blinding to my eyes. It's eerily quiet and there is no activity outside. My old self would love hunting on a day like today but my current self never wishes to even look at another bow and arrow. I make my way over to Haymitch's house. I know before I even approach the house that Haymitch will be asleep so I don't even bother knocking and push my way through the door.

It amazes me on how any anyone can live in this putrid state of a house. Half-eaten food on plates prepared months ago scatter everywhere. The smell of spoiled raw food permeate the air of the house. Empty and shattered liquid bottles litter the floor. I find Haymitch laying on his right side in the kitchen with a knife in his left hand as usual and an empty liquor bottle in his right. I almost decide to leave him sleep peacefully but my body reacts impulsively. I locate a glass of ice water and pour onto Haymitch's head and quickly stand back. He jolts awake instantly slashing the air around him and erupting into profanity-filled hatred. He looks around for the culprit responsible for interrupting his slumber.

"Oh it's you, what the hell do you want?"

"I came to talk." I reply.

"Well that's great sweetheart, but I'm not much of a morning person right after extremely unlikable people give me showers to wake up. Make yourself useful and make me coffee."

I happily oblige seeing as any insult from Haymitch means nothing to me as we have always had a love-hate relationship with each other. I try to keep the conversation stirring.

"Any news from the Capitol?" I ask.

"Yeah haven't you heard? They want to make you President!" He replies sarcastically.

"Of course I haven't heard anything, do you think that I would enjoy keeping up with Capitol business? There a stack of newspapers over there."

He points to the stack of newspapers over on the kitchen table. I set the coffee maker on and proceed over the table of newspapers when we both hear a slight ruckus upstairs.

"Did someone else come with you?" Haymitch asks.

"No, did you have anyone else over here? I say.

"No."

Suddenly whoever or whatever was upstairs makes their way down to the area. Haymitch has his knife at the ready for whatever it is. He lowers the knife as he sees the woman enter the dining area. It's our fellow victory, Johanna Mason.


	2. Chapter 2: Old Friends and Memories

[I would like to thank everyone for their kind words so far. I am an aspiring writer and reading both the entire franchise of Harry Potter and the Hunger Games trilogy, I liked the final battle in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and had mixed feelings toward the ending of the final fall of the Capitol in Mockingjay. A similarity between the ending of both novels was that they didn't go in depth about what happens after the final conflict. Yes, they do have an epilogue but I am more interested in writing about the rebuilding stage. Harry Potter has literally no rebuilding stage after the final battle. Mockingjay has a few pages but it is not enough to really satisfy the fans. That is why I am writing this story. I believe that an entire novel could be written on what happens after the final shots. I will be taking this story chapter by chapter and this could be a full novel if I can stretch it out as much as possible. I already have ideas about additional conflicts and even have more character building on the lives of the remaining characters. One relationship that may occur in this story is Gale Hawthorne and Johanna Mason. There is a whole plethora of opportunity that will come for this story. I expect to have a new chapter out every Friday so look forward to that. Again, I thank everyone for their kind reviews and following this story.]

"_Johanna, would you mind telling me what you are doing in my house?_" Haymitch asks.

"_Relax Haymitch you let me stay here last night remember_?" Johanna Replies.

_"Of course not"_

_"Well you did."_

Johanna wastes no time on the conversation and heads straight for the coffee that's gripped in my hand.

"_Thanks Kat."_

She takes a swig of the hot beverage before I bring myself to say anything but I shrug it off remembering how much she has gone through since the Quarter-Quell.

Johanna Mason had her head shaved as part of her torture in the Capitol but a good portion has grown back already. Her body looks physically fatigued and I know that these past few months have not been the easiest for her. She has a troubled time keeping the coffee mug steady in her hand.

We head into the living room and try to find a seat that is not covered in broken glass.

Johanna starts before Haymitch and I can ask her the million questions we have for her.

"_I have a message from President Paylor for you Katniss_." Johanna hands me a letter.

Upon my assassination of Alma Coin, an emergency election was held and Commander Paylor was elected President of Panem. I fought alongside Commander Paylor in District Eight during my first combat battle of the war. We had gone to District Eight because there was not a lot of Capitol forces there. Eight was a good opportunity for me to get some propaganda spots as the Mockingjay. I met Commander Paylor and we went to the rebel hospital. She wanted to see what I was made of when I was inspiring the rebels. I had an immediate effect on the rebels in the hospital as everyone in the hospital, no matter how injured they were, sat up to get a glimpse at me. All of these people were only minutes away from death and my appearance gave them what little hope they had left. After Capitol hovercraft firebombed the hospital, I met Commander Paylor on the roof of an apartment building and Her, Gale, and I began to shoot down Capitol hovercrafts. My real moment of respect for her came when I was wandering the halls of President Snow's mansion sub-consciously and came across what would be Snow's garden. The two guard refused me access and Commander Paylor came along and granted me access, knowing she would probably get in trouble for doing so. In this Garden is where I would have a critical conversation with the soon-to-be-dead President of Panem. I learned here that President Alma Coin was responsible for killing my sister. After the conversation, Commander Paylor was still outside the door when I returned.

"Did you find what you were looking for?"

Those words made me realize later that she knew everything and implied that she wanted me to know the truth.

I open President Paylor's letter.

_ Dear Ms. Everdeen,_

_ First I would like to apologize deeply about Primrose. She was well liked by everyone she met and her death brings us a sadness that we cannot comprehend. I advise you to not be a stranger to your friends here in the Capitol. For your actions over the past troubling years, your friends and family are more than welcome to visit the Capitol at any time and stay here in the President's mansion. If there is any resources that you require do not hesitate to send me a letter or phone me directly. The entire country of Panem is in your debt. We can never stop thanking you Katniss._

_With Respect,_

_President Paylor_

_President of Panem_

I read the letter twice and I try to hold my emotions in. My eyes cross her name and I can no longer hold it in. There is a sharp pain in my heart and I sink to the floor near Haymitch's couch. Tears begin flowing down my face and unto the letter and I curl into fetal position. Johanna sits on the couch studying her mug of coffee like she has an exam over the contents. She knows what it is like to be in my current position. Haymitch steadily walks over and puts his hand on my shoulder and I immediately go for his comforting embrace. flashbacks penetrate my mind as my body becomes lifeless in Haymitch's arms.

I did everything that I could to protect her. Because I failed, Primrose Everdeen died attempting to do what she did best. Like my mother she was a natural-born healer. She bravely rushed into the heart of a battle to heal the injured children. I dedicated my entire life to protecting her. When my father died, I was designated as the bread-gatherer for her and my mother. I took additional tesserae and hunted to provide food for her.

"_May the odds be ever in your favor. As usual, ladies first."_

_"Our female tribute for District Twelve is..."_

Surely her name cannot be drawn. She had only one entry.

"_Primrose Everdeen."_

Shock. That was my main feeling. Of all those names on the thousands of entries, her name was selected. Primrose Everdeen, a twelve year old, was about to enter the Hunger Games against people like Marvel, Glimmer, Cato, Clove, Thresh. She would have had to defeat all of those tributes to stay alive.

I am overcome by panic. My sister is marching towards the Justice Building when I try to reach her.

"Prim! Prim!" I scream out but I am detained by peacekeepers.

I do the only thing that I can do.

"_I volunteer! I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!"_

I was able to protect my sister from the Hunger Games. I promised that I would try and win the games for her.

I won the Hunger Games and returned home to my family. My new life in District Twelve was bittersweet. We had more than enough resources to live a luxurious life in District Twelve compared to our old accommodations. I was appreciative of our life but I didn't feel right. I had received this life because I killed people in the arena. Their families were suffering the loss of their loved ones.

Before the start of our Victory Tour, President Snow personally made a visit to my home in Victor's Village. He knew even then that a revolution was inevitable. Some districts had already begun to rebel and the fire was growing, the fire that I started whenever Peeta and I were about to die together by eating the nightlock berries in the arena. We had defied the Capitol and showed that two tributes-turned-victors had the power to let the Capitol be defied without punishment.

In my meeting with President Snow, he wanted Peeta and I to perceive as inseparable lovers to convince the rebels that our act of defiance was only because Peeta and I were so madly in love with each other that just the very thought of the other dying was unthinkable. The consequences from failing to convince President Snow were dire. I had failed.

Even after everything that I did to try and protect her, she was still killed.


	3. Chapter 3: Lost Friends

I must have fallen asleep because when I wake up, it's late afternoon and the sun has already begun to set. Haymitch put me in a pillow and wrapped me up in a blanket. I get up off his couch too fast and I see stars in my eyes forcing me to sit back down. I look around and don't sense anything stirring in the rest of the house. Both Haymitch and Johanna are gone. I decide that it's probably best if I were to head back to my home. I head towards the door when a picture above the fireplace catches my eye. On the wall there is a picture of two young teenage boys with arms around each other's shoulders and big smiles on their faces. I can easily tell Haymitch before his time in the Hunger Games. He must have been fourteen or fifteen years old in this picture. He had shinier blond hair and doesn't have any scars yet. My eyes now focus on the other teenager in this picture. He is slightly taller than Haymitch. Almost six feet tall and has short brown hair.

It's my father.

My father and Haymitch looked like they were best friends in this picture. They both looked happy together. Haymitch looked so innocent back then before his time in the games. Little did he know that his innocence would soon be lost.

I don't remember my father ever mentioning that he was friends with Haymitch Abernathy. I'm sure that Haymitch shut himself out from the rest of the world after the games. Especially after his family and girlfriend were killed. He was kept in solitary confinement with nothing but alcohol as his only friend.

_"I see that you know about me and your father."_

I didn't hear Haymitch come in. His voice is hushed but broad.

_"I didn't know that you were friends with my father."_ I say.

"_We were very good friends until my games. We had only known each other for five years before I was reaped. We prepared ourselves in the event that either one of us was reaped. He taught me a lot of survival skills and I taught him a thing or two about the use of knives. As you have seen, the arena that I was in during my Quarter-Quell was incredible. Incredibly lethal. At first it looked like such a peaceful place. Even after it started tributes were still caught in awe on their pedestal. Every single thing in that arena was poisonous. Your father taught me this. Without his training, I would be dead. I could sense that poison was around me without even picking anything up. Even the river water was lethal. Not only was the arena physically challenging and deadly, it was mentally absurd. Having to go through double the amount of tributes, I couldn't sleep thinking that I was going to get poisoned by a blade of grass. There were twelve career tributes instead of six. They had most of the food and it was destroyed when the volcano erupted, killing most of them as well. I nearly starved. Maysilee Donner became my ally when she saved me from getting killed from a career. She shared some food with me. There was only five of us left when we broke the alliance. We didn't want to end up killing each other. Just minutes after we parted, she was skewed in the neck by the butterflies. I held her hand as she passed and the cannon sounded. The female tribute from District One severely injured me and then she killed herself with the force field."_

I know these games too well. Just watching them was horrifying.

"_Katniss your dad wrote me a letter before he died. I was waiting to find the right moment to give it to you. Given the circumstances there will never be a proper moment."_

Haymitch heads upstairs to grab the letter. He comes back down and hands the letter to me.

"_I warn you Katniss. It may not be easy to read."_

_Dear Haymitch,_

_I just want to say that I miss your friendship. Someday I wish that you would come visit us. I want you to meet my family. Katniss is almost ten now. She's got hunter's blood just like her old man. She also reminds me of you with her stubborness. You and her would get along just fine. Primrose just turned five and she reminds me most of her mother. She is such a sweet and innocent little girl. She has her mother's healing hands. I really wish you would come visit us. I do however have one request of you Haymitch. As you know, I have worked in the District coal mines for some time now and I must admit that I don't exactly have the safest job. One small spark could erupt and I will be obliterated. Haymitch if I were to die I need you to promise me one thing. Katniss is fast approaching the age requirement for the Hunger Games. You and I both know the damaging effect if Katniss either dies in the arena, or becomes a Victor. I'm sure that Katniss would volunteer if Primrose gets picked but there is that period of four years where Katniss would be older than eighteen. I need you to promise me that you will do everything that you can as mentor to protect my little girls in that arena. You need to scrounge whatever sponsors you can for them and keep them alive. Please do this for me Haymitch. My dream is to see a day where there are no more Hunger Games, especially for your peace-of-mind._

_Always your friend,_

_Marcus Everdeen._

I stare at the letter after I read it. Haymitch is sitting down in the armchair slouched down looking at his feet.

I understand my first ever meeting with Haymitch now. Peeta and I had just been reaped in the Hunger Games and we were on the Capitol train. Haymitch walks in very drunk and disoriented. There is a certain tone of his voice. His dead best friend's twelve-year-old daughter had been reaped in the Hunger Games. As my father knew I would, I volunteered to take her place. He now had an extremely important task of keeping me alive. He would be finished if I died. If I had died in that arena he would have broken a promise to his best friend.

Haymitch, still starting at the ground not wishing to make eye contact with me till the end of time, shakily begins.

"_Katniss, you know I uh..._"

_"It's okay Haymitch._" I walk over to his chair and embrace him in a comforting hug.

"_It's okay_." He begins crying into my shoulder. I have never seen him cry before.

"_It's not your fault Haymitch. It's not your fault."_

Now I know why he didn't even visit me these past few months. He was in an advanced state of drunkenness. He felt more guilty about my sister's death than I did.

_"Your father knew that you were going to be special. He would have been so proud of what you have done Katniss. To know that his daughter destroyed the Capitol and ended the Hunger Games._"

_"During your first stint in the arena, I scoured the entire Capitol to get sponsors for you. I am the one that suggested to Seneca Crane to allow two victors from the same District. When you told me that Snow threatened you, I had made plans for us to runaway to District Thirteen with you and your family, Peeta and his family, and even Gale and his family. I could not have you all going through what I had to go through. The turning point was when they announced that previous victors would be returning to the arena for the Quarter-Quell. That's when we decided to stay for the time being and try to enlarge our prospect of a revolution. I know I made you a promise. But for the sake of your father and the revolution, I had to get you out first. I was going to get Peeta out too but we couldn't locate him in time. Plutarch Heavensbee was with us too obviously. He was going to do everything that he could to keep you and Peeta alive. He made sure to have a bow for you and a trident for Finnick. I was hoping you would ally with Finnick. We hoped that you had seen the matching bracelets to make sure that you knew he was an ally. He promised me to be the bodyguard for you two. Mags was particularly fond of you. She appreciated you wanting to ally with her. She knew that she had a slim chance of making it out of the arena. We all knew with Snow watching that it would be best to keep you and Peeta out of the loop. Especially considering the consequences of knowing information about the rebellion would guarantee your death."_

_"I hope you understand what I had to do Katniss."_

I have grown to repsect Haymitch more as time progressed but never as much as I do now. Nothing I could ever do for the rest of my life will be able to repay Haymitch for everything he has done for me.

_"Thank you Haymitch. Thank you for everything."_

That is all the words that I can muster out. I figure it is best if we change the subject before I begin to tear up.

"_What is Johanna doing here in Twelve?_" I ask.

_"She is moving to here in Victor's Village. Don't even ask why because you already know the answer."_

Unfortunately I do know the answer. She has no home. She has no family or even any personal possessions. District Seven was her home until I'm sure her family and fiancee were killed by President Snow. I know that she refused to became "bathed in Capitol riches" like Finnick did. Johanna's state of mind was just another casualty on the already long list of lives the Capitol has taken.

Night is falling quickly outside. It is getting late. I say goodbye to Haymitch and step outside his house. I being to trot towards my home where I notice something in the distance. I can see a shadowy figure walking towards me. The person is making their way towards Victor's Village. My heart sinks when I see his golden blonde hair. I can feel his presence in the air as I have spent many nights in his comforting embrace. It's the boy with the bread. My Peeta.


	4. Chapter 4: Constantly Risking Absurdity

"Hello Katniss."

I am only able to stare directly into his piercing blue eyes for no more than five seconds. My legs become numb and the twilight sky instantly becomes midnight for me. I lose conciousness but don't slam to the ground. For he would never let me fall.

I have no nightmares tonight. I only dream about the boy with the bread. I see him when we first met. I had just been reaped for the Hunger Games. Effie Trinket reached into the glass bowl that holds all the names of the eligable males in the District population. She reads the piece of paper.

"Peeta Mellark."

Down in the crowd there is a movement. Everyone around Peeta turned towards him. Perhaps looking at him for one final time before he dies. I already remember him. My father has just recently died and I had to take care of my family. My mother was alive but her body had been emptied of all life. I had to gather food for my family and I couldn't. I wasn't able to begin taking tesserae. I was so hungry that I thought I was going to die. No one in District Twelve would notice. I was digging through the trash of the bakery when an evil woman started screaming at me and chasing me away. He was standing behind her wanting to help me. Just a few minutes later he came outside to start feeding bread to the cattle. He ended up tossing a piece of bread towards me. This bread saved my life.

Peeta walked towards the steps of the Justice Building. If I want to return home to my family. I would have to kill Peeta Mellark. After all of our training, Peeta dropped a brilliantly-timed bomb.

"So is there a girl waiting for you back in District Twelve.?" Caesar Flickerman asks.

Peeta laughs. "No."

"Oh come on, I don't believe that for one second. A good looking lad like you must have a girl back home." Caesar replies.

"Well there is this one girl, but I don't really think she notices me." Says Peeta.

"I tell you what Peeta. If you go out there and win this thing, then she'll have to go out with you." Caesar says.

"I don't really think winning is going to help me much." Peeta replies.

"And why is that?"

"Because she came here with me."

There it was. Peeta secured the potential for sponsers in the games. We became the "star-crossed" lovers from District Twelve. The term "star-crossed" was coined as two people whom are madly in love with each other but almost imminently destined to die. At the time I was furious at Peeta, thinking his stunt made me weak. Now I realize that his move probably saved both of our lives.

I had mixed feelings about an alliance with Peeta. I didn't know his true intentions. I learned that Johanna Mason won her games by decieving as a sweet and innocent girl but she was really a viscious killer. It was time to go into the arena. My heart is racing as I say my final goodbye to Cinna. The tubes are raised and the arena is revealed. I spot my best chance of winning. A bow and arrow lays deep within the cornucopia. I spot Peeta on his pedestal and he must know that I am going for the bow. His eyes are screaming at me telling me not to go for the bow and arrow. He is trying to protect me. The horn sounds and the Hunger Games begin. Peeta and I both survive the initial bloodbath but he goes off into the forest in a different direction. Night falls and I find myself asleep in a tree. I wake up and overhear a conversation between the careers who are right below me. After a little talking I hear Peeta's voice join them.

"Where do you think she went?" Cato asks.

"I think she went this way." Peeta points.

My dream starts to feel like a hallucination. Almost like the effects of the tracker jacker venom that was injected into me.

Cato, Clove, Glimmer, and Marvel walk away from Peeta. He looks up into the tree. My heart stops. He has spotted me. My dream has turned into a nightmare. Tracker jacker venom is flowing through me. Peeta smirks, pulls out a bow and arrow and fires at me. The arrow lodges into my neck. I tumble out of the tree. The last thing I hear is the burst of a cannon.

I startle awake. I frantically sprawl off of my couch. I am yelling my head off when Haymitch and Peeta sprint into the living room. Peeta holds me down on the couch as I begin to calm down.

"It's okay Katniss. It's okay."

This is the first time since I have been held in his arms since the night before the Quarter-Quell. I had forgotten what it felt like. I completely calm down knowing that Peeta would never in his life even think about harming me. All of my horrors are washed away in his arms.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be here until now. Dr. Aurelius kept me in the Capitol until he knew I was better." Peeta says.

"He also wanted me to tell you that he can't keep pretending that he's treating you forever."

I think about the time spent in President Snow's mansion with Dr. Aurelius. I didn't want to talk to anyone. He was supposed to counsel me but no amount of counseling on Earth was going to heal the pain inside of me. He liked our meetings because it gave him an opportunity to sleep. I didn't mind.

"I will tomorrow." I lied.

Peeta gets up and heads to the kitchen.

"Would you like some bread Katniss?"

I have heard that question hundreds of times. I will never get tired of it.

"Yes Please." I say in the sweetest voice possible.

Haymitch comes into the room and sits in the armchair by the fireplace as Peeta disappears into the kitchen.

"Plutarch Heavensbee sends his best wishes. I spoke with him on the phone earlier." Haymitch starts.

"Apparantly everyone in Panem sends your best wishes. A lot has changed."

"No shit." I reply.

I could care less about anything right now. I don't care about the millions of people that want to see the post-war Mockingjay. I don't want to be brought to the capitol and paraded around. I think about what I have sacrificed to defeat Snow and Coin. I don't even want to think about what people have sacrificed to keep me alive.

"I want to see my trial." I tell Haymitch.

I figure I would have to see it eventually. My murder trial was the first major post-war event in Panem. My trial was broadcasted live throughout the Capitol. More people watched my trial than any other Hunger Games and that's saying something. I wanted to see the people that defended me.

"Very Well." Haymitch says.

He taps the projector which produces a light whirring noise. After a few seconds a scene is projected above the fireplace mantel.

[The court trial may be a little long. I started writing and I couldn't stop.]


	5. Capitol Alert System

Attention citizens of Panem, it has been decreed by President Paylor that a new warning system will be implemented into Panem. This is an alert system for both the districts and the Capitol. Citizens should familiarize themselves with this alert system as well as know what to do in case of in an emergency in the District or Capitol.

District Level Alert System:

Level 0: Green: District is all clear with no immediate threats.

Level 1: Yellow: District is under a watch.

(Examples: Severe weather may cause damage to District if minor precautions are not taken. Kidnapping. Robbery-in-progress. Small group of violent muttations are roaming District.)

Level 2: Orange: District is under a warning. Citizens are advised to stay in their homes unless necessary.

(Examples: Severe weather is imminent and shelter must be taken. Active group of resistance is planning to do harm in the district. Large group of violent muttations are actively attack citizens of the District.)

Level 3: Red: District is under a major warning. All Citizens are REQUIRED to stay in their homes unless they cannot stay there. Citizens may leave homes if there is a threat to you in your home or need emergency services. Pending circumstances, Capitol may have to intervene and re-establish the government.

(Examples: Extreme weather alert. Tornado, Hurricane. Justice Building and Disrict leadership have been heavily damaged and cannot function as a District Government.)

Level 4: Blue: District is under Martial-Law. All Citizens are REQUIRED to stay indoors regardless. You must phone the Peacekeeper Headquarters if emergency services are needed. District Government has fallen and the Capitol must re-establish the government in the District. Once situation has been resolved, new elections will be held for District Representatives who are killed or captured.

(Examples: Resistance has killed or captured mutiple District officials. Large Non-Capitol military force is planning or is committing a coup d'état of the District Government.)

Level 5: Black: District has been or is in danger of being completely destroyed. Entire District population is heavily advised to abandon everything and leave the District immediately.

(Examples: Massive Resistance force is engaged in a battle with Peacekeepers. Peacekeepers have lost military control. Nuclear Device may be detonated in the District.)

An alert board will be placed at each District's main square and in the Captiol.

District Level Color Reason

1 - 0 Green

2 - 0 Green

3 - 0 Green

4 - 1 Yellow - High-Surf Advisory

5 - 0 Green

6 - 0 Green

7 - 0 Green

8 - 0 Green

9 - 1 Yellow - Severe Thunderstorm Watch

10 - 2 Orange - Severe Thunderstorm Warning, Tornado Watch

11 - 2 Orange - Severe Thunderstorm Warning, Tornado Watch

12 - 1 Yellow Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Capitol - 0 - Green


	6. Chapter 5: The Trial of Katniss Everdeen

I wasn't able to see my trial. Whenever I assassinated President Coin, I tried to kill myself. Peeta placed his hand over the pouch in my shoulder that contained my nightlock suicide pill and I bit into his hand. Add another tally to the times the boy with the bread has saved my life. I was taken to my room in the Tribute Training Center. For days I stayed there until Haymitch retreived me and whisked me back to District Twelve.

The screen clicked and a large courtroom appeared on the screen. The courtroom looks untouched by the war. The courtroom walls were carved out of the finest stone the Capitol had to offer. The benches and chairs were made out of mahogany. Ever since Effie scolded me for stabbing the mahogany table on the train, I knew how to identify anything made out of it. The judge's bench was at the center of a series of other benches located against the wall. To the right of the judge's stand, there were individual seats with typewriters and computers on the table. These were for the court reporters that will document every single thing that will happen in this trial. To the left of the judge's stand, slightly lowered, laid an individual seat for the witnesses. In front of the judges stand were two medium-sized tables. These two tables contained the legal teams for both the defense and the prosecution sides of the case. The people that are attempting to convict me of murder are the prosecution. Five men and women sit at the prosecution table. The youngest of this group is no older than thirty-two and the oldest looks around sixty or sixty-two. It must have been hard for them to be convinced to prosecute me. They would have the entire country hating them if I was found guilty. On the opposite side is my defense team. Fifteen men and women are crowded around the medium-sized table and have enough pieces of paper in front of them to build a library. They've had only days to prepare for this trial and they look prepared like their lives depend on the outcome. There is also a very large pot of hot coffee in the middle and every person at this table has a coffee mug. They have not slept in days. The courtroom is filled above maximum capacity with citizens of the Capitol. There is an additional one-hundred people in a standing room only section. I'm sure that they arrived at the courthouse two days ago for a chance to stand here. On the edge of the wall, there is an area of chairs roped off. These chairs currently hold the eighteen most important people in all of Panem. These eighteen people are going to decide if I should live or die. Eighteen men and women from all thirteen Districts and the Capitol make up the jury. I do not know the woman from District Twelve or Thirteen. The trial was ready to begin.

"All rise!" The Head Peacekeeper says. The Head Peacekeeper is an elderly man. He is not dressed in the normal Peacekeeper uniform. He is not wearing a helmet and does not have any weapon.

The entire room raised from their seats and any amount of conversation halted. The room was so silent that you could hear a pin drop.

"Now presenting the honorable Judge Lawrence M. Bourne III!"

An elderly man walks into the room. He looks like he was born before the first Hunger Games ever took place. What was it like to see what he has seen? Seeing all seventy-five Hunger Games. I remember the Judge's name. He was reaped for the Fifteenth Hunger Games but someone volunteered as tribute to take his place. He came from District Four so volunteering wasn't exactly a surprise. The tribute that volunteered for him ended up being the last one to die. The female tribute from District Eight smashed his head in with a hammer.

Judge Bourne takes his seat.

"Be seated." He says.

The entire room sits down in a hurry. They all remain silent, anxiety is building up inside everyone in the courtroom

Judge Bourne seems unaffected by the hundreds of eyes looking directly at him. He skims through the thick stack of papers laying on his desk before he speaks.

"Ladies and Gentleman of the court, before we get started on the proceedings of this case let me address that this trial is being broadcasted live across the entire nation. This is a high profile case so the outcome will have a tremendous effect on the general public. Let me be clear that any verbal or physical attack against any officials involved in this trial will be met with punishment as defined by Panem Court of Law. Let me be clear to the jury and lawyers that the facts of this case are confidential until after the trial is over."

"Anyone in this courtroom must refrain from rabid outburst and refrain from making any obscene gestures towards the individuals involved. Now we may begin."

Judge Bourne hands over the stack of papers on his desk over to the court reporter.

"Ms. Walters, please read the front page to the courtroom."

The lead court reporter is a woman in her late fifties. Some of her hair has greyed out but she still has some strands of brown. She begins to read the facts of the case.

"Court Case #67892-43A-C. State of Panem vs. Katniss Everdeen."

"Katniss Everdeen is being charged with the following crime(s). Katniss Everdeen has been accused of Murder in the First Degree. The victim was Alma Marie Coin, at the time, acting President of Panem. Katniss Everdeen is also being charged with Conspiracy to Assassinate the Acting President of Panem. This incident took place during the Execution of President of Panem, Coronelius Snow, at 3:00 Pm, January 25, AHG 76."

"How does your client plead?" Judge Bourne directs his attention over to my defense lawyers. An older gentleman, slightly younger than Judge Bourne raises from his seat. He is my main lawyer.

"Not guilty your honor." He says.

"Very well. Now the prosecution will present the facts of this case."

The youngest man stands up and walks towards the center of the courtroom.

"Your Honor, ladies and gentleman of the jury. On January 25, AHG 76, the execution of our former President Corolenius Snow took place at three-o' clock in the afternoon. Katniss Everdeen was scheduled to be the executioner of President Snow. She was given her bow and allowed one arrow to kill President Snow. This execution was broadcasted on national televison to all of Panem. The current President of Panem, Alma Marie Coin, was standing on the balcony behind President Snow during the execution. Katniss Everdeen aimed her bow at President Snow. All of the sudden, Katniss Everdeen shifted targets and before anyone knew what was happening, Katniss Everdeen released her bow and left her arrow fly into the chest of the current President Coin. President Coin tumbled over the balcony and was dead. During the chaos that ensued, There is video evidence that Katniss Everdeen attempted to commit suicide by using the suicide pill contained in her military uniform. Peeta Mellark ended up placing his hand over the pouch that contained this pill."

The audience in the courtroom were really moved by Peeta saving my life yet again. Even if he was high jacked, he never could let me die.

"Both presidents were dead. Katniss Everdeen assassinated President Alma Marie Coin which is murder in the first degree. Any time a major political figure like Alma Coin is assassinated, it is investigated and determined as a conspiracy."

The man had finished his opening statement. He returns to his seat and now it is my defense team to make their opening statement.

"Mr. Ryan may now make his opening statement." Judge Bourne says.

My main lawyer gets out of his seat and turns where his back is facing the judge.

"Ladies and Gentleman of the court, there is no denying that Katniss Everdeen assassinated President Coin, however; we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that she did so based on multiple facts, one being she is mentally deranged based on the events that she has experienced over the course of the last two years. We have witnesses and evidence to prove our theory that Katniss Everdeen's state of mind is unstable. We also have proof that President Alma Marie Coin attempted to end the life of Katniss Everdeen. She personally sent Peeta Mellark to squad four-five-one, the same squad that Katniss Everdeen was in when the rebels invaded the Capitol. The citizens of District Thirteen personally saw Peeta Mellark bounded by chains when eating his lunch in the cafeteria, his bodyguards watching him 24/7, and his attempted murder of Katniss Everdeen. Alma Coin sent Peeta to Ms. Everdeen's military unit knowing very well his current state of mind. Why was he sent there? We are going to show that court that Katniss Everdeen is completely well beyond a reasonable doubt not guilty."

"Thank you." Judge Bourne says.

"The prosecution may now present their case. At this time they will present any evidence and call any witnesses that they may have."

"Thank you your honor." The young man raises from his chair and presents to the courtroom.

"I now present evidence piece #1A: The film that caught the entire act on camera."

He hands the film over to one of the court reporters who projects it on the screen in the courtroom. The lights dim and now they watch.

President Snow is chained up in the center of the stage, Alma Coin is on the balcony right behind him. Everyone who had any role in the Capitol's downfall was there. Gale, Peeta, Haymitch, Paylor, Johanna, Enobaria, Beetee, Annie, and Plutarch are just some of the people that are there. We have just talked to President Coin about voting on one more Hunger Games. I walk into the room. I am wearing my Mockingjay uniform and my hair is in its normal single braid as usual. In my quiver is just one single arrow which I will be firing the last shot of the war. Everyone in the room has their eyes on me. I am about to kill the tyrant that caused me so much pain. I take aim.

Even watching this on television I still have flashbacks of this.

My sister just died. She was killed by hovercraft with Capitol symbols on them. They had Capitol symbols on them but were they really from the Capitol?

"I am sorry about your sister Katniss but I did not kill her. That would have been a waste. I couldn't escape because I had no hovercraft left. You remember destroying all of them in District Two."

He is lying! He lies like he has done for his entire life!

"My Dear sweet Ms. Everdeen, I thought we agreed not to lie to each other."

"Did you find what you were looking for?"

The memories are penetrating my mind.

"Look here Katniss, This is a nice trap Beetee has planned out here. We bomb an area of rebels and when everyone goes in to help the big bomb goes off in the same place." Gale explains to me.

Why did District Thirteen stay hidden for seventy-five years? Why did they not help? Did they start helping because they knew that they were going to win? Why did they hide for seventy-five years?

Panem is in ruins. All thirteen districts have nearly overthrown the Capitol. Thousands upon thousands of rebels ascend the mountains surrounding the Capitol. The Capitol's air defenses are too strong. The battle quickly turns into a slaughter. The ground is painted red. Any chance of winning the war became non-existant. District Thirteen was responsible for starting the rebellion. I can picture what the meeting was like between the President of Panem and the leader of District Thirteen.

"We here in District Thirteen will stop aiding the rebellion as long as the Capitol leaves us alone. You can bomb our surface one time and then you must forget we even exist. We do not exist. We will never bother the Capitol as long as the Capitol never bothers us."

"Deal."


End file.
